{"id":84816,"date":"2026-05-06T21:22:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T19:22:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.amsterdamnow.com\/?p=84816"},"modified":"2026-05-07T12:38:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T10:38:11","slug":"the-best-hotspots-in-the-red-light-district","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.amsterdamnow.com\/en\/buurten\/de-beste-hotspots-op-de-wallen\/","title":{"rendered":"The best restaurants and cafes in and around the Red Light District"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Red Light District is the medieval city center crisscrossed by canals and narrow alleys filled with traditional bars and fine restaurants. The Oude Kerk, surrounded by the neon-lit red light district, is a centuries-old former church that hosts cultural events. The neighborhood stretches roughly from the Zeedijk through the Oudezijds Voorburgwal and Achterburgwal to the Rokin and the Nes. Everything is within walking distance of each other.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"de-wallen-amsterdam\"<\/p>\n

Bellezza<\/h2>\n

In a 17th-century building in the courtyard of the former Bethani\u00ebn Convent, tucked behind the Oudezijds Achterburgwal, Bellezza serves an eight-course menu with audio-visual programming. You eat with all the guests at one long golden table and move through different rooms, each with its own atmosphere, from mysterious to fairytale. Chef Davy van Wezel determines the theme of the season. Access is easy to miss: look for the gate next to the Hospital Bar. Reservations far in advance. - Bethany Convent, Barnsteeg, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"bellezza-amsterdam\"<\/p>\n

Trees<\/h2>\n

Trees<\/a> is a restaurant on the first floor with a cocktail bar in the basement, on the Oudezijds Achterburgwal. Upstairs is a la carte cooking with matching wine pairing. Downstairs is comfort food and extensive cocktail menu in a vibrant setting. One of the few places on the Red Light District that works for both moods: elaborate dining or just drinking. - Oudezijds Achterburgwal 99, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"trees-amsterdam\"<\/p>\n

\u201cTrees is one of those places you don't expect on the Red Light District: serious cuisine upstairs, good cocktails downstairs, and not a tourist in sight.\u201d<\/em> - Barts Booklet (2025)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ken Sushi<\/h2>\n

Omakase sushi on Geldersekade: you sit at the bar or a large table and the chefs prepare everything before your eyes. Each dish is explained. Ken Sushi<\/a> has been doing this for years and is now also the sushi partner of House of NOA, the new late night dining spot under the Beurs van Berlage. Reservations are required. - Geldersekade 19, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"ken-sushi-amsterdam\"<\/p>\n

House of NOA<\/h2>\n

Beneath the Beurs van Berlage on the Damrak sits House of NOA<\/a>: by day an omakase experience from Ken Sushi, by night an extravagant late night bar. The space is designed for an evening that doesn't end. Technically just outside the Red Light District, but within walking distance and from the same owners as Ken Sushi. - Damrak 243, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"house-of-noa-amsterdam3\"<\/p>\n

Hi Tin<\/h2>\n

On the Zeedijk since 1975: Cantonese restaurant with the best dim sum in town and the only traditional Cantonese bakery<\/a> of Amsterdam out front. The pork buns sell out early in the morning. The dim sum lunch service is popular; there are long lines on Saturdays. Go early or make reservations. - Seawall 122, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"hoi-tin-cafe-amsterdam_4\"<\/p>\n

Oriental City<\/h2>\n

Cantonese restaurant on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal, one of Amsterdam's longest-running Chinese addresses. On Saturdays, the place is bulging with families who come for dim sum: shrimp dumplings, Peking duck and stir-fried dishes. No hip interior, no marketing story, but excellent food at fair prices. - Oudezijds Voorburgwal 177-179, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

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New King<\/h2>\n

Simple, cheap and good: New King<\/a> on the Zeedijk serves classic Chinese cuisine without frills. Regular regulars, fast service and a bill that never gets out of hand. The dim sum is less extensive than at Hoi Tin but the rest of the menu is solid. - Seawall 115-117, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"new-king-zeedijk-azian-restaurant-amsterdam_1\"<\/p>\n

Fiona<\/h2>\n

Mexican restaurant<\/a> on Warmoesstraat, inspired by chef Zahie T\u00e9llez. Spareribs, ceviche and handmade tacos with authentic ingredients. On Tuesdays two tacos with a margarita, on Thursdays a free tequila shot with any cocktail. One of the few Mexican addresses downtown that goes beyond tex-mex. - Warmoesstraat 14, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"fiona-restaurant-amsterdam_1\"<\/p>\n

Mata Hari<\/h2>\n

On the Oudezijds Achterburgwal, overlooking the canal: Mata Hari was taken over in early 2024 by the people behind Helling7 and Caf\u00e9 Verlan. The interior went from pass\u00e9 boudoir to belle \u00e9poque, the menu from mediocre to good. Good for a Friday afternoon drink that continues into an evening. Open from breakfast until late. - Oudezijds Achterburgwal 22, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"mata-hari-restaurant-amsterdam_1\"<\/p>\n

Caf\u00e9 Bern<\/h2>\n

Fondue restaurant in a brown pub on Nieuwmarkt, one of the neighborhood's favorite addresses for decades. Cheese fondue for two, a bottle of wine and an evening you won't want to end. Reservations are required and far in advance: Bern is always full. One of the city's most cherished addresses. - Nieuwmarkt 9, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cCaf\u00e9 Bern has been around for decades and is still one of the best evenings you can have in Amsterdam: cheese fondue, wine and good dinner companions.\u201d<\/em> - Cityguys Amsterdam (2025)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Seafood Bar<\/h2>\n

The address for seafood<\/a> downtown: oysters, lobster, shrimp cocktail and a plateau of everything. Affordable for what it is, always busy and always good. Reservations recommended. - Spui 15, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"the-seafood-bar-spui5\"<\/h2>\n

The Coffee Kitchen<\/h2>\n

In Old Church Square, tucked away near the Old Church: a quiet coffee bar<\/a> With one of the city's most beautiful courtyards. In summer, an oasis of green in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the Red Light District. No shopping opportunities, no tourist menu. Just good coffee and tranquility. - Oudekerksplein 27, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"coffee-shop-coffee-bar-amsterdam_1\"<\/p>\n

The Last Crumb<\/h2>\n

Small, cozy and full of fresh quiches, croissants and scones, De Laatste Kruimel is the breakfast and lunch hidden address of the Red Light District. You easily walk past it on Langebrugsteeg but once you're in, you don't want to leave. - Langebrugsteeg 4, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"the-last-crumb-amsterdam\"<\/p>\n

The Lobby<\/h2>\n

Restaurant and bar at the V Hotel on the Nes: coffee and lunch by day, dinner and cocktails by night. Conveniently located on the Nes, on the edge of the Red Light District toward the Rokin. Good value for money for the center. - Nes 49, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"V<\/p>\n

The Siren<\/h2>\n

Mediterranean restaurant The Siren<\/a> on Rokin with a two-story dining room, private dining room and cocktail bar. Shared plates, pasta, seafood and meat from the grill. A button at each table to order champagne to go with it. On the border of the Red Light District and the Damrak, but clearly on the Red Light District spectrum in terms of character. - Rokin 81, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"the-siren-japanese-restaurant-amsterdam_1\"<\/p>\n

Satchmo<\/h2>\n

Restaurant<\/a> and cocktail bar on Rokin, like The Siren on the border of the Red Light District. Intimate atmosphere, good cocktails, jazzy in tone. Good for an after-dinner finale. - Rokin 75, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

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Tasting Room The Stork<\/h2>\n

Classic gin tasting room on the border of the Red Light District and downtown. Small glasses, big taste, no pretense. One of the oldest tasting rooms in Amsterdam. - Saint Olofssteeg 1, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"flore-restaurant-amsterdam_3\"<\/h2>\n

Flore**<\/h2>\n

Flore<\/a>, with two Michelin stars, in the dining room of Hotel De L'Europe on the Amstel. Chef Bas van Kranen works with a daily changing menu based on what can be harvested and caught in the Netherlands, with little meat and lots of seasonal produce from small farmers and fishermen. The sommelier builds a wine pairing as quirky as the cuisine. One of the best restaurant nights Amsterdam has to offer, and one of the hardest-to-reserve tables in the city. - Nieuwe Doelenstraat 2-8, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

\"marie-brasserie-restaurant-amsterdam_1\"<\/p>\n

Marie<\/h2>\n

Marie<\/a>, Flore's lighter sister, in the same hotel but with a more accessible menu and a more relaxed atmosphere. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, overlooking the Amstel River. The cuisine is French-inspired, the wine list strong. Good for lunch with a glass of wine or dinner without Flore's tasting menu ritual. - Nieuwe Doelenstraat 2-8, Center<\/em><\/p>\n

The Red Light District has something for every moment of the day. Breakfast at De Laatste Kruimel, lunch at Hoi Tin, drinks at Mata Hari or De Prael and an evening at Bellezza, Flore or Caf\u00e9 Bern. And those who don't want to go home afterward: Trees has a cocktail bar in the basement, House of NOA starts late at night and Rosalia's Menagerie nearby pours gin cocktails late into the night.<\/p>\n

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READ ALSO<\/p>\n

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Subscribe to Amsterdam Magazine and receive 4 editions!<\/h3>\n English-language Amsterdam Magazine is all about fun things to do, discovering new places and the city's tastemakers. From eating and drinking, art and culture, going out and entertainment, shopping and markets, neighborhoods & sights to...<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The Red Light District is the medieval city center crisscrossed by canals and narrow alleys filled with traditional bars and fine restaurants. The Oude Kerk, surrounded by the neon-lit red light district, is a centuries-old former church that hosts cultural events. The neighborhood stretches roughly from the Zeedijk through the Oudezijds Voorburgwal ... <\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":84860,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10921],"tags":[],"district":[],"class_list":["post-84816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buurten"],"acf":{"slider":[84832],"fotograaf":"","editor":"","video":"","google_360":"","instagram_code":"","subregel":"De Wallen is het middeleeuwse stadscentrum dat wordt doorkruist door grachten en smalle steegjes","new_in_town":false,"featured_item":true,"beste_van_amsterdam":true,"homepage_carousel":false,"cord_A":"","cord_B":"","introductie_tekst":"De Wallen is de oudste buurt van Amsterdam en tegelijk een van de meest miskende. Wie voorbij de toeristische Warmoesstraat kijkt, vindt een buurt met twee Michelinsterren, de beste dim sum van de stad, een immersieve fine dining-ervaring in een nonnenklooster en een jeneverbar die al vijftig jaar hetzelfde doet. Dit zijn de beste adressen.","rubriek":"Locatie","locatie_event":null,"naam_locatie":"","adres":"","stad":"","website":"","telefoon_nummer":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amsterdamnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84816","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amsterdamnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amsterdamnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amsterdamnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amsterdamnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84816"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.amsterdamnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84816\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":84839,"href":"https:\/\/www.amsterdamnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84816\/revisions\/84839"}],"acf:attachment":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amsterdamnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84832"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amsterdamnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amsterdamnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amsterdamnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=84816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amsterdamnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=84816"},{"taxonomy":"district","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amsterdamnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/district?post=84816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}